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THE USE OF ENGLISH MEDIA IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
49-57Views:165The flow of information in the digital age is facilitated not only by traditional media such as television, radio, and print but also by new media such as the internet, desktops, and integrated computers, tablets, and smartphones, etc. The presence of IT tools is quite common these days among kindergarten-aged children (3-6/7), and even toddlers can use them on a daily basis. Moreover, modern pedagogy is unthinkable without digital devices that have become integral parts of innovations such as game-based learning, media-based learning, and edutainment. There are several language schools and bilingual creches where they accept very young children and babies. It is said that parents know their child best and children spend a lot of time with their parents. In consequence, this provides an excellent opportunity for parents to raise a bilingual child even if it is not his/her first language. In our paper we are combining these two, currently, central issues: the use of English-language media and early childhood language-learning, as only limited research is available about it. We are going to present the results of empirical research carried out mainly in kindergartens in Debrecen, which focused on early second language learning and the children’s use of media. Our research has two goals, so the questionnaires asked parents about the use of foreign-language media, its content and the time children spend consuming English content. In addition, we were interested in the parents’ attitude to their children’s English-language media use. We analyzed our data in the framework of early second language learning. Our research was carried out within the Early Childhood Research Group run by the Faculty of Education for Children and Special Educational Needs of the University of Debrecen. The research was carried out between October 2016 and January 2017.
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THE "INSTITUTIONALIZATION" OF THE LOVARI LANGUAGE FROM THE ASPECT OF SOCIAL INNOVATION
85-93Views:81In this current paper we intend to reflect upon the historicity and social impact of Lovari language education from the perspective of social innovation. Our starting point is that the process of the acceptance of the Lovari language and its recognition in the educational palette of foreign languages is a „bottom-up” initiative that developed mainly from the work of Romani intellectuals. The focus of our interest is, among others, the following questions: Who invented it? Who supported it? Who prevented it? What language learning methods are used by people teaching Lovari language who are originally not language teachers? The „institutionalization” of language education in Lovari and the state-recognized language exam certificate that can be obtained in this language have a serious social impact, for example, it helped disadvantaged and/or Roma students to obtain a university degree. From this point of view, we also consider this phenomenon as an innovation. Besides the secondary sources, we tend to map the topic with the help of primary, qualitative data. In addition to interviews with Lovari language teachers (N=3) who have been teaching for several decades, we would like to put our own perceptions in a narrative.
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LEARNING GERMAN WITH DYSLEXIA
67-75Views:221The current study provides insight into the specificities of dyslexic pupils learning German as a foreign language by measuring their language lexical knowledge. The aim was to explore the nature of dyslexia whilst learning a foreign language. Should we really free all such pupils from the strains of learning a foreign language? Or is it a case of finding the appropriate methodology to learn a new language? The goal is to measure language skills in a foreign language and draw inferences from this. Method: Word association exercises are used to measure the lexical knowledge of children with learning disorders, including dyslexia. Sample: 19 students with learning disorders. Conclusion: The results clearly indicate that we should find pupils’ individual strengths and utilise these, instead of simply exempting pupils from learning foreign languages.
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HISTORY OF LANGUAGE LEARNING AT AN EARLY AGE ON NYÍREGYHÁZA
7-18Views:151In our paper, we deal with the significance of learning languages at an early age. While going through the literature of the topic, we draw attention to the importance of age in learning a language, as well as the basic differences between language learning and language acquisition. In the following, we present the options outside the family (such as language schools and family creche 'családi bölcsőde') for learning a language at an early age in Nyíregyháza in 2017. In our research, we also wanted to find out what differences can be seen in terms of the methodology of early foreign language activities in kindergartens/preschools between the activities held during the change of the political regime in Hungary (1989/1990) and today. We chose the interview as a research method because in this way we can get a picture of the foreign language activities in kindergartens/preschools and their first steps in the 1990s when they were first available to children. We made eight interviews in spring 2017, asking kindergarten pedagogues/early childhood educators and language teachers as well as who had held English activities in kindergartens/preschools. Based on the information we received from the informants, we can say that early English activities were available in 23 kindergartens/preschools out of the 34 kindergartens/preschools (68%) operating in Nyíregyháza, Hungary in 2017. In some kindergartens/preschools children can also take part in early French and German activities. We have also realized that the number of those kindergartens/preschools which organize playful foreign language activities on a weekly basis has been increasing since the 1990s. From the recollections of the informants, it has also been revealed to us that during the change of the political system providing personal criteria (that is finding qualified teachers) was the most difficult task. Nowadays, several kindergartens/preschools employ kindergarten pedagogues who are able to take part in the language development of children in a foreign language as they are competent users of it. Playfulness, using audiovisual devices, and a lot of props have been highly important since the very beginning in the kindergartens, and pedagogues have also been doing their best to use and try different methods in order to develop the foreign language competence of children aged 4-7.
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THE ISSUES OF TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES TO LEARNERS WITH A SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY
31-52Views:361To make language teaching effective, it is important to consider the forms of language teaching, especially when we talk about learners with a specific learning disability. Our theoretical paper tries to review the literature of language teaching and dyslexia. The goal of our paper is to briefly present the definitions of dyslexia as well as to describe its signs and symptoms. This paper deals with the issues of language acquisition and language teaching, focusing on the difficulties which emerge when learning English. A dyslexic learner usually has difficulties in reading and writing in his L1, their reading is slower and they have problems with reading comprehension too. Besides the possible difficulties, we also discuss the strengths of dyslexic learners as their most important compensating skills are global/holistic thinking, visualisation, creativity, and problem-solving. Our paper also deals with the regulations governing language teaching in schools and the issues of choosing the language to learn at school. In higher education and in the world of work, speaking foreign languages and having language certificates are advantages, consequently, it is necessary to have appropriate course material. Language learners with dyslexia also have to take a school-leaving exam /GCSE in a foreign language, which is why our paper also deals with the output of language teaching in schools as well as the possibilities for dyslexic candidates offered by some Hungarian language exams (ORIGO, BME, DExam, ECL) The paper also mentions the issues of course material and language course books, as well as addressing the question of inclusive teaching for dyslexic learners. We also discuss the competencies required by a Special Educator as a language teacher, as he/she can help students, not only in learning English but also in the integration process.
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LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGE WITH CARICATURES AND COMICS
73-85Views:137Applying comics and cartoons can be an effective method of talent development in the area of learning foreign languages. The present study shows a) how we can use the possibilities of comics and cartoons to develop the creativity of students in the frame of foreign language lessons; b) what cooperative methods we can apply with help of the drawings; c) how we can motivate our students to learn languages.
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COMPARISON OF THE FAMILIARITY OF GRADE 4 ROMA AND NON-ROMA SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH SOME BIOLOGICAL TERMS IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
47-60Views:136Most of the Roma settlements in Croatia are spatially segregated from the settlements of the majority population. Specific cultural elements constitute the ethnic border towards the local population, making it difficult and reducing the possibility of their integration into the majority population. One of the results of that segregation is the unfamiliarity of the Roma children with the language of the majority population. This unfamiliarity with the Croatian language is a big obstacle for the integration of the Roma children into Croatian society through school education. Starting from Grade 1 they follow the regular school curriculum. Two of the subjects that are taught from the very beginning of their primary school education are Natural Science and English as a foreign language. In this paper, the authors present the results (statistical analysis and discussion) of their research study. It compares the familiarity of Roma and Non-Roma Grade 4 children (age 10) with some biological terms in English as a foreign language. Based on the results of their research, the authors suggest modifications of the school curriculum for Roma children that would enable their better school achievement and subsequently their easier integration into Croatian society.
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TEACHING GERMAN TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS HUNGARIAN AND INTERNATIONAL OVERVIEW
55-67Views:274Nowadays teaching children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is at the centre of attention. However, the field is really new in language pedagogy and, due to the students’ different abilities, a common methodology has yet to be developed. As a result, teachers’ creativity plays an even more important role, since they rely heavily on their own teaching experience. We will dive deeper into this topic in our two papers built upon each other, both dealing with the issues of teaching a second language to school-aged children with SEN. This present paper is about teaching German students with SEN at a Hungarian and an international level. Our research involves an international overview of several European countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Romania, Poland, Russia, Estonia, and Italy). We contacted specific institutions in those countries and asked for their experience in teaching a second language to children with SEN. It also includes the language learning characteristics of children with SEN as well as the Hungarian rules governing their language teaching.
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THE LANGUAGE BOOK “DEUTSCH MIT COMICS” (REVIEW))
99-101Views:95The reviewed book is:
Szalay Kristóf (2013): A „Deutsch mit Comics”. Central Holding Magyaroszág Kft., Debrecen. ISBN 9789630858557